Alberto Pellegrini does not speak or read Japanese, a deficit that threatened to leave the Italian tourist starving in a nation famous for its gastronomic delights.
Fortunately for the hungry honeymooner, restaurants across this food-obsessed nation — where English menus range from sparse to non-existent — often display their wares in the form of intricately-made plastic replicas.
The sight of a giant hotdog slathered in condiments does not faze the average Japanese restaurant goer, and these fake food parades are often so similar to the real thing that they almost dare potential customers to take a bite.
Photo: AFP
照片：法新社
A sudsy-looking beer, perfectly glazed sushi and indestructible deep-fried pork cutlets are a common sight on the streets of neon-lit Tokyo and even the smallest towns.
“It can really help,” Pellegrini said as he and his new wife combed lunch venues in Tokyo’s upscale Ginza shopping district.
“I point at the food and I just say “I want this, I want that.” It is easier because choosing from a list [in Japanese] is impossible.”
(afp)
義大利觀光客佩拉格利尼看不懂日文也不會說日文，這個障礙恐讓這位觀光客在以美食聞名的國度餓肚子。
在這個對食物癡迷的國度，英文菜單不是很少就是根本付之闕如，但對這位來度蜜月的飢餓觀光客來說，幸運的是，各地餐廳通常會以精緻的塑膠模型陳列出商品。
塗上調味醬的巨大熱狗並不會嚇到一般的日本顧客，這些陳列的假食物逼真到幾乎讓想上門的顧客咬一口。
看似冒著泡泡的啤酒，完美上釉的壽司，以及堅不可摧的炸豬排在霓虹燈照亮的街道上經常可見，甚至在小鎮裡也能看到。
佩拉格利尼和新婚妻子在東京高級購物區銀座尋找午餐地點時說：「真的很有幫助。」
「我指著食物然後只要說：『我想要這道，我想要那道。』這樣真的簡單多了，因為要從一整排（的日文）中選擇是不可能的。」
（法新社／翻譯：陳維真）
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